By My Side
by echoingsouls
Summary: NaruHina Month 2014. Day 31: because when you're Hinata and Naruto such a moment can't go without disaster.
1. fireworks and stolen kisses

**s: **_because she knows that with every New Year there's a new beginning and this one might be the best yet. _

**a/n: **_excuse my tardiness, I was on a New Years trip. Decided I'd like to be part of this glorious month and thus this was created, I'll try to hit every prompt, crossed fingers for that one. Alright, enjoy._

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**1| **_New Years, New Beginnings_

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Hinata knows that with every new year there is new possibilities.

Gripping her small styrofoam cup a little tighter she swirls the brown liquid around watching it slosh one way and almost slip out of the cup. She sighs softly as she looks up to the night sky, the stars seemed brighter tonight and she can only assume it's all because of the "magic" that comes with this time of the year.

A small smile worms its way on to her lips as she continues to look at the twinkling stars that seem more like far away lights. She's not sure how she ended up alone, she had arrived her with Neji-nii but he had ended up running off to find his girlfriend. His only instructions were to stay put for a few minutes and that he would return shortly.

That had been almost two hours ago.

"Hinata-chan?"

She feels her breathing stop and she knows that it's because of_ that _voice, the voice that's always made control slip. She lowers her eyes to the cup in her glove-covered hands and tries her best to keep her voice intact.

"Naruto-kun," she finally speaks when he stops right next to her.

She's determined to stare right into her cup so she doesn't end up looking like a complete fool in front of him like always. She watches out of the corner of her eyes that he's got his own small cup nestled between two large hands, and despite the harsh cold he's grinning and looking every bit like the Naruto-kun she knows.

"I figured you'd be here," he tells her, "saw Neji wandering about and decided you wouldn't be too far off, seems I was right."

She nods her head but doesn't respond, mostly because around this boy her voice fails her completely and she turns into this stuttering, incoherent mess.

"Hm, I still think New Years is overrated," he sighs.

She turns her head and watches as he brings the small cup to his lips, eyes trained on the night sky, before he takes a smalls sip. When the cup comes back down he finally turns to look at her, a large smile makes its way to his lips once more.

She's always liked his smile, she muses, it's the most beautiful smile she's ever seen. To her his smile is his best feature, that beautiful, blinding smile that's only been able to turn her into complete mush. The same smile that she's grown fond of and often finds herself missing on those random sleepless nights.

"R-Really?" she asks softly.

"Yeah, I mean why does someone need the year to end to decide to become a better person or to make something happen?"

She finds herself giggling softly because that's something only he would say, "I g-guess so."

"The only good thing that comes of this day is the free food," he smirks.

She smiles.

"So Hinata-chan, have you made any resolutions or any wishes?" he asks looking at her with a small smile.

She nods her head once, "I-I h-have."

"Good luck then," he chuckles.

She mutters a quick "thank you" before looking up at the sky once more, he does the same shortly after and they stand together admiring the night sky. There's a small buzzing and she looks away to find Naruto bringing his cell out.

"Hmph, that's fine then," he grunts, "assholes."

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Sorry Hinata-chan," he chuckles, "teme and the other assholes ditched with their dates."

"Y-You d-don't h-have o-one?" she asks timidly.

She shakes his head before chuckling, "nah, most of the girls I know are problematic, besides I think I like your company most Hinata-chan."

She finds herself squeaking before looking away from him as quickly as she can. She silently curses in her head as she feels her face heat up, leave it to Naruto to say something like that.

"You okay, Hinata-chan?"

She nods her head frantically but keeps her eyes on the cup in her hands.

"Hey, have you gotten an oracle yet Hinata-chan?"

She looks at him and shakes her head, "N-Neji-nii s-said I s-should w-wait h-here for h-him."

He grins before taking her cup from her hands, she watches as he walks to the nearest bin to throw them away before taking her small hand in his and leading her away. She looks down at the joined hands and can't help the smile that's slipped on to her lips.

And he keeps their hands intertwined until they finally gotten their oracles. She watches him open his with a large grin on his face, his blue eyes skim over the paper before he chuckles.

"Seems I'll be having a good year, Hinata-chan," he chuckles, "I got a 'Middle-blessing' and 'a person being waiter for', dattebayo!"

She finds her eyes widening at his second fortune but before she's given the chance to properly freak out about the situation he's looking at her expectantly. She smiles before quickly reading over her now opened fortune.

"Well?" he asks impatiently.

"I-I g-got 'Great-blessing'," she smiles.

"And the second part?" he grins.

She chuckles nervously before reading over the fortune, "I-I got, 'one's wish or d-desire'. "

He looks pensive for a moment before nodding his head, "seems yours is right."

"Huh?" She blinks looking up from her fortune.

"Ichiraku should still be open, Hinata-chan," he tells her excitedly, "wanna go?"

"N-New Y-Years isn't h-here yet, N-Naruto-kun," she tells him softly.

He shrugs, "who cares, I mean you're here, that's all I need."

She grips the paper tighter and mentally curses once more when her cheeks begin to burn with that familiar heat.

"F-Fine."

In the end she allows him to take a hold of her hand and lead her to that famous little ramen stand he loves to go to. They sit as he orders miso ramen for two and when they get handed their bowls and the fireworks begin to explode in the night sky he turns to her with the biggest smile in the world.

"Happy New Years Hinata-chan," he grins.

She's about to reply with the same thing before she's pulled into a breath-stealing kiss. She's not sure where it's come from and she's not sure why Naruto has even dared to do something so bold and something that's only going to make her faint but nonetheless he kisses her and when his hands come to rest on her hips, hers come to rest around his neck.

All of her doubts go flying out the window and she finds that her oracle seems to have been right. She allows every drop of timidness that she posesses to slowly leave her body as she smiles into their kiss.

_A New Year and a wonderful new beginning._

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**ES:** _Typical Shrine visit cause that makes for very kawaii shit. Adios. _


	2. minor setbacks

**s: ** _In which Naruto tries to master a new skill in order to impress and fails miserably. __  
_

**a/n:** _I'm actually having a blast writing these, like I don't even know. Anywho, enjoy lovelies._

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**2| **_Cooking_

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Naruto Uzumaki took pride in many aspects of his life, for instance, his ability to rile up Sasuke quicker than anyone else or how he had become Hokage at a young age (even younger than his old man). Maybe even how even the toughest fighters seemed to be no match for him whatsoever.

However there was one thing that always hindered that massive pride of his; his inability to cook a proper meal.

Sure, he had learned how to cook something but that something was ramen and not like the kind the old man down at Ichiraku makes, no this ramen was instant. All he had to do was boil water, anyone could do that, and then pour it on to the dry ramen-noodles. So if he was being technical then no, he didn't actually know how to cook despite claiming he did.

And now he'd gone and opened his big, fat mouth like always.

He had been with his girlfriend, that's right Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of Konoha, had a girlfriend, when she brought up their one-year anniversary. At first he had been slightly confused about the whole deal, deeming it unnecessary to have to celebrate something so simple but after a one hour lecture from Sakura (which was more him being a punching bag while Sakura yelled about everything he did wrong in that one situation) he decided he'd do something special for her.

At first he had planned a simple date at Ichiraku but the idea was thrown out the minute Sakura's face seemed to contort with anger once again. Then he had asked Hinata what she wanted to do, she had smile sweetly and told him to surprise her.

So he had grinned like an idiot and told her he was going to cook her a meal and take her out to a picnic.

The idea was genius, even Sakura had congratulated him on trying to be romantic for his girlfriend. Then Sasuke had to open his mouth and ask him about the one thing that had slipped his mind during the whole praising deal.

"Can you even cook?"

He had frozen on the spot and then proceeded to yell at Sasuke before leaving and claiming that he'd learn. So he had gone out and bought cooking books of all kinds in hopes to find something easy and delicious to make for his most precious person.

Turns out that even the simplest recipe was too hard for him. It was degrading to know that he just couldn't cook anything, no matter how hard he tried. Sakura had offered her help after his six failed attempts but he had shaken her off and told her that he just needed to try something else.

Now twelve recipes and one hell of a messy kitchen later, he sat with flour in his hair and all sorts of spices and other things all over his clothing praying to Kami or whoever was up there to please bless him with magical cooking skills, even if only for tonight. Turns out that didn't work either and it only served to waste time that he didn't really have.

He quickly grasped the last cooking book, the one he hadn't skimmed yet before opening to a random page. He grinned and thus began a thirteenth try at this whole cooking ordeal.

About three hours later it was another failed attempt.

He sighed as he sat in his messy kitchen before there was a soft, almost faint knock at his door. He groaned because there was only one person who knocked that politely, Sakura's knocks were, actually no, she just barged into his home. Sasuke just snuck in through the window like he owned the place, everyone else was too loud or they just said who they were.

Hinata was the one person who knocked quietly and didn't yell, merely waited for him to answer. He headed to the door and opened it up, he watched her lips go from a smile to an 'o' shape.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Hehe, hey, Hinata-chan," he scratched the back of his neck, "you're here."

"W-What happened?" she asked with a startled expression.

"I was cooking," he told her, moving aside so she could walk in, "well trying."

She walked into the kitchen and gasped, her small hand coming up to her mouth at the mess he had created. He watched her place whatever was in her hands, a basket, on to the kitchen table before heading further into his kitchen.

"Y-You've made a b-big mess," she stated.

He nodded before chuckling sheepishly, "I was trying my hardest to make something for our picnic, turns out I found the one thing I'm useless at."

The girl shook her head before reaching over one of the messy countertops for a napkin. He watched her bring it over to the sink before she turned the tap on and let the napkin soak up a bit of the water. Once she was done she came towards him and placed the napkin on his cheek, she was blushing slightly as she wiped away the contents that had managed to get on to his face.

"Y-You didn't h-have to," she told him.

He watched continue to focus on cleaning his face up before he smiled, "eh, it's worth it if it's for you."

She stopped wiping away the contents on his face and he was rewarded with the sight of her face turning a bright scarlet. He chuckled before he leaned down to steal a kiss from her, as he did so she blushed further, if that was possible before she quickly threw the napkin into the trashcan and proceeded to clean everything else.

"N-Naruto-kun," she whispered as she placed the dirty dishes into the sink.

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?"

"Y-You're an i-idiot."

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**ES: **_bang! All done. _


	3. the promise of a lifetime

**s: **_To her this was the promise of a lifetime. __  
_

**a/n:** _A bit shorter than most, nonetheless enjoy x _

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**4| **_Holding hands_

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Her eyes look down at her cousin, he's lying still, unmoving because he just can't anymore. Dead, that's something she's never wanted for someone like Neji, someone who's begun to learn how to be free in his own way.

But that's war, the cost of it is anything but cheap.

She looks at the blond-haired boy before her, he's in shock, she knows it's probably hit him harder than it's hit her that Neji is dead. She knows because this boy has only ever had things like that in his life, death and the loosing of those most important to him.

His resolve is slowly become something weak, something that won't help him survive this war. She can't have that because this boy, this boy with the beautiful smile and a broken heart, is the one she loves, the one she's been trying to catch up to her whole life.

He's the one she wants to spend the rest of her life with.

She takes a look to her dead cousin once more and she knows she can't grief, she can't be upset and she can't cry and scream because Neji would be disappointed in her, he'd be mad and she doesn't want that. She knows that he wouldn't want the blond hair boy to lose sight of what's most important either, so she catches his attention with a few words.

Her hand comes up to his face and she begins to speak.

His attention is focused on her and she's looking at him with determination in her eyes, her stuttering gone and it's replaced with confident words. She tells him of the sacrifice that Neji had made for them, for everyone here and she tells him that he shouldn't let everything be in vain because it wouldn't be fair to Neji-nii, it just wouldn't.

And he nods, the determination she's often seen swirling in those blue eyes of his is back and there's fire there too.

His large hand comes up to her own and he grips it tightly.

And despite the raging war that's going on and the possibility that she might not make it, she's content. His hand is large and it's warm, like she's imagined it would be, and she can't help but find that his hand fits perfectly with her.

He doesn't let go and that makes her all the more confident to keep going.

And she does because once this war is all over she'll walk right beside him from then on and she'll take his hand and hold it tight and never let go.

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**ES:** _I'm actually pretty content with this, despite its short length. Tell me what ya' think! _**_  
_**


	4. he never learns

**s: **_Naruto and why you should listen when people tell you to stop._

**a/n: **_Enjoy x _

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**5| **_Laughter_

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Naruto sighs as he lays down in their bed, he's finally done with that Hokage work, not that there won't be anymore on his desk tomorrow, so that means he gets relaxation time with his beautiful wife.

Once she turns off the lights and slides into bed with him they watch the tv in silence. Tonight he's chosen some comedy show because he could use a good laugh after being in a very serious (very boring) meeting that afternoon.

The show from what he's heard is supposed to be hilarious, apparently it makes the likes of Sasuke and Neji laugh as well.

So they watch in silence and then something happens in the show and he's laughing his butt off. Throughout the show he laughs and laughs until his sides hurts but after a while he notices something odd about Hinata; she hasn't laughed once, hell, he can't recall the last time he's even heard her laugh to begin with.

He frowns looking at her and watches as she keeps her eyes on the screen a small smile on her lips.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you not like this show?" he asks.

"I do," she smiles, "it's nice."

"Do you not find it completely hilarious like I do?" he asks.

"That's not it," she tells him with the same smile from before.

He lets go of the conversation because the actors on the screen do something that just makes him laugh even harder than before. The show continues on like that and he'll admit he's fallen out of bed several times because of how much he's laughed but Hinata doesn't poke fun of him so it's okay.

The show airs another episode shortly afterwards and this time he pays close attention to Hinata, she's looking at the screen throughout the whole thing and not once does she laugh or snort or whatever, she just smiles.

He taps her shoulder and she turns to look at him, "yeah?"

"Hinata-chan, we're married you know."

She arches an eyebrow up, "yes, I'm aware, Naruto-kun."

"If you have a weird laugh I won't judge you," he tells her seriously, "that's why we're married."

"Naruto-kun, you-"

"Is there a special reason you won't laugh?" he asks with a small smile.

"Not really," she smiles back, "you're being silly, I'm going to get some tea, okay?"

He nods as she tries to get out of bed but in doing so her legs get tangled in their sheets and she begins to fall forward. She cries out because she fears falling but before she even hits the ground he grips her hips tightly keeping her in place.

He's about to ask her if she's okay when he notices it that she begins to cringe and tries to wriggle away from him. He looks down to his hands and notes that he's managed to push her shirt up a little causing his fingertips to be touching her skin.

In normal circumstances she would be blushing but not her reaction is very different.

He arches an eyebrow up before he experimentally moves one of his fingers up and down on the exposed skin. And he hears a muffled sound come from her as she tries to pry his hands off.

He smirks because that one little action just gave her away.

"Hinata-chan are you by any chance...I don't know, ticklish?" he chuckles.

She shakes her head frantically, "N-No, N-Naruto-kun."

Bingo.

So without another word he pulls her back on to the bed and when she's situated beneath him he begins to wriggle his fingers all around her skin. She begins to writhe and before he knows it she snorts, he looks to see her biting her lip in a desperate attempt to keep herself from making any noise so he increases the force of his tickling.

Before he knows it her mouth falls open and she begins to laugh. And initially he believed that she would have some weird laugh and that was the single reason why she's never allowed him to hear it but that's not it at all. Her laugh isn't a very obnoxious one nor it is a completely angelic one, it's somewhere in between and nonetheless it makes him smile; makes him happy.

To him it's music to his hears to hear her laugh and he wonders why she would even keep it from him.

He continues to tickle her making her move this way and that on their bed restlessly. She's laughing and laughing and he can see tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. She begins to try to pry his hands away from her but he doesn't allow it and only increases his tickling making her squirm and laugh even more.

"N-Naruto-ku-kun," she squeals, "s-s-stop!"

He shakes his head and smirks as she laughs and laughs, but his fun is shortly lived. Before he can really recal what's happening her eyes activate her clans secret technique and in seconds her fists have chakra swarming around them before she delivers a punch straight to his gut and he's sent flying a few feet from their bed. He groans and it thankful her punch didn't send him crashing into the wall because it probably would've tumbled down.

They both lay were they are, one trying desperately to catch their breath and the other trying not to die from the impact. The silence lasts for a few more minutes before she raises herself up and makes her way over to him.

"I told you to stop," she sighs, "you never learn."

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**ES: **_It's almost 12 here so I'm cutting it real close, aren't I? Whew. _


	5. a boy worth fighting for

**s: **_There was a reason she sacrificed so much for him and that reason was simple, it's because she loves him._

**a/n: **_I couldn't really talk about my favorite moment because this is and what-not so I made a fic out of it._

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**6| **_What's your favorite NaruHina moment?_

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_"It's because...I love you."_

Those words, words I've kept inside my heart for so long but for once I've allowed myself to let go of the fear and just say them. And it wasn't something I decided to say in the heat of the moment, words that I only said because I was expecting to die in doing this. Saying that would be nothing but a lie, those words are special, they've been special since the first time I realized they were meant for him.

Those words were meant as an explanation for my actions, so he knew there was a reason to everything I've ever done for him because the last thing I wanted was for him to think I was only helping him as pity or because I felt like I owed him something.

Those three precious words are and will only be for him, today, tomorrow, until my last breath.

My eyes look at him carefully, he's helpless and begging me to leave, to get out while I still can. I almost laugh because he still doesn't get it, he doesn't understand that I won't ever leave him, I can't.

The enemy is looking at me carefully and I know that this situation can kill me but I'm ready. I told Naruto that, I told him that if I was to die here then I wouldn't mind it, not one bit, not if it comes of use to him. Because that's all I've ever wanted, to be able to help him, to walk along side him.

All my life I've tried and tried to catch up to him, tried to be someone he wanted. I don't know if it's worked or if perhaps I'm in way over my head but nonetheless I'll fight for him.

To protect him.

I activate my Byakugan because I know that if I waste anymore time I'll die before I've even had the chance to start and if that happened I'd be letting everyone down, I would be letting Naruto down.

I can see the chakra running through the metal bars stuck in his body so with one move I knock one down. I aim for a second one but before I can even reach it I'm thrown up in the air by some force before I land on the ground with a thud.

It hurts but I can't, I won't give up now.

So I try again and again and in the end I manage to knock another one of those metal bars down. It's not enough but it's something but I won't give up.

Even know when everything aches and I can't feel my muscles I'll keep fighting because for him I'd do anything. I look up to see the man staring at me carefully, he's not making a move so I decided to use what little I have left to remove another one.

I groan as I try my best to stand up, I stumble and stumble until my legs give out from under me and I fall. Even then I keep moving towards Naruto, I crawl and crawl and when I reach him it almost feels like a victory itself.

_"Why would someone as weak as you try to resist."_

I carefully slip my fingers around the bar but keep my eyes firmly on the ground before me. It hurts, every single part of me hurts and aches but I can't, if I do I'd be failing once more and for once I can't, I won't allow myself to fail.

_"Why would you fight me-"_

There's a pain that shoots itself in my system when I grip the bar but I can't let go.

_"When you know you'll only die?"_

I grip the bar tighter, ignoring the truth behind his words.

"Because," I tell him, "I never go back on my word."

There's a small noise from Naruto as his face comes off the ground and even if it hurts I know this will probably be the end.

"Because," I start raising my head to see Naruto, "because, that is my ninja way."

And even if every single part of me hurts and I can barely feel anything at all I smile. He looks at me with shock written all over his face but before I can contemplate it any further I'm lifted off the ground and I know this is the last one.

When I land I feel numb but I'm not upset over what happened. I can hear him walking towards me and there's a swift movement before something hits me and there's nothing but darkness.

I'm not regretful, I can't be;

_"because I love you."_

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**ES:** Tried a different POV this time around but nonetheless here you go. Hopefully I can keep up with this since I have school starting back up tomorrow, neh. Adios. x

[NEW NOTE: JAN. 7. I will update today's prompt later on today, for some reason this website didn't allow me to update on time, sorry for the late update. ]


	6. for you

**s:**_ I saved you once, I'll do it again._

**a/n: **_I honestly didn't mean to fall behind on this, school is really getting to me. Well enough of that, enjoy. _

**9| **_Favorite NaruHina quote_

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_"You changed me! Your smile is what saved me!" - Hinata, chapter 437_

* * *

He wasn't sure what it was about her words that had caused an uproar in his stomach. Even as he lay completely useless and defenseless, he felt something there, something that was threatening to break out.

He had watched as she fought tooth and nail to try to get those rods stuck in his body out. And he wasn't sure why he had been so fearful, it wasn't even because she was a comrade and this was his battle. No, for once that was long forgotten, to him watching her take hit after hit only served to make his blood boil with an anger like no other and it made his stomach clinch in pain.

He realized that her words had cut through him, they had gotten to him even if she never intended it to be that way. He watched as she continued fight and he wondered why he couldn't muster the strength to get up, to keep her out of harm's way. To grab her and take her somewhere safe, somewhere that Pain won't be at, somewhere she can smile up at him and not be worried or anything of the sort.

She charged once more and it was then that Pain had made a small mistake, giving Hinata a bit of an advantage. After she hit the Akatsuki member she proceeded to break another one of the rods stuck in his body.

She aimed once more and before she could she was thrown in to the air before she landed with a heavy thud.

His heart began to beat violently in his chest as he watched her unmoving form for a while. When she began to move he felt his resolve weaken, he felt like a complete failure for allowing her to get this hurt.

She staggered towards him, never giving up, even when she fell down she continued to crawl her way towards him.

_"Just stop."_

He couldn't bear it anymore, it hurt him to know she was here fighting his battle when all he could do was lay on the ground, pinned by some rods. He laid his face on to the floor, not being able to see her get hurt anymore because it wasn't helping his state.

He felt her inches away before her small whimpering noises reached his ears, still he refused to lift his head.

Pain began speaking to her, trying to coax her to stay away. He had asked her why she would interfere, calling her weak and claiming that she'd die if she allowed herself to continue. A part of him wanted to stand up to her, give her a push, but that wouldn't help at all. He wanted her away from here, safe and sound.

_"I never go back on my word."_

He felt his heart stop the moment the phrase left her mouth because of all the things she could've said in this moment she chose to quote him. He raised his head to see her still looking down at the ground, her small hands still clutching the rod before her tightly, still trying to pry it off of him.

_"because..., because that is my ninja way."_

Eyes wide he watched as her lips pulled up into a smile, despite her pain and suffering she was still giving him a smile. Before he could voice his thoughts, tell her that he appreciated her but that he couldn't bear to see her get hurt any more, she was lifted upwards again. His eyes remained glued on her as Pain made her twirl in the air before he slammed her right back down.

A few feet away from him.

He watched the man look at her still form before he slipped one of those rods that were keeping him in place out of his sleeve and jammed it somewhere in her body. At that moment he felt like he couldn't breathe, like everything was systematically falling out-of-place and he could do nothing but watch.

"Love breeds hatred."

His blood boiled at Pain's obvious disinterest in the girl he just took down, the girl who said she loved him. Without a second thought he allowed himself to be consumed by that hatred he kept inside, losing himself completely in the process.

* * *

_I saved you once, I'll do it again._

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**ES: **_And that's it, I'll try to be consistent with these but with everything I got going on its difficult. Be patient, loves. _


	7. a pocket full of headcanons

**s: **_the ups, downs and in between's of their love life. _

**a/n: **since I wanted to do this day on here I decided to "change it up" and do it this way. Enjoy!

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**12| **_What are your NaruHina headcanons?_

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_i. Hinata was the one who made the first move for a kiss, surprising everyone who heard of it._

* * *

Contrary to the popular belief Naruto wasn't the one who made the first move towards a kiss.

Even now people still found it hard to believe that she was the one who kissed him first. She took pride in that small moment because it was the one moment she had where she was the one who caught him off-guard and not the other way around. She was the one who left him an incoherent mess with bright red strained cheeks and a thumping heart.

It had happened on one of their dates, he had invited her to Ichiraku, being that it was somewhere they hadn't been to together (surprisingly enough). She had been excited to spend more time with him since after the war he had made it his priority to spend more time with her and just be with her. He had ordered miso ramen for the both of them and he was rambling about how he'd be named Hokage in a few months.

She listened half-heartedly, which was rare, but she was more focused on something else. The simple fact that Ino had been right, they hadn't kissed at all, since Ino had brought it up at their Girl's Night Out she had been dying to change it.

So when he was handed his large bowl of miso ramen and she was handed hers she turned herself fully to him before she began to eat and he stopped himself from taking some noodles into his mouth as he looked at her carefully.

"Hinata-chan?"

She took a deep breath in before placing her small hands on either side of his face and then bringing it closer to her own. His lips met hers in a haste and when she felt like that would suffice she released him.

She expected him to laugh and then act like only he would but instead she was met with a scarlet red face and a very nervous look on his face. He had begun to try and string words together but nothing he said came out with any form of coherency. So has he rambled some more she had thrown her head back and laughed before bring his lips to hers once more.

* * *

_ii. On the night that Naruto had planned to propose to Hinata he had forgotten the ring at home._

* * *

Everything had been set, the candles lighting up the otherwise dark night. With the help of Sakura, Ino and Tenten, Naruto had managed to set up a very romantic setting for his date with Hinata.

This was also a very special day, it marked their second year as an official couple and being that he truly loved her company he had decided to marry her. So he asked Sasuke for help and together they had bought a ring (after being questioned about their sexuality) and then he went on to the girls to help them plan the perfect way to ask her.

It had taken them a whole month to come up with something to woo her with but Naruto wasn't all too mindful since he wanted everything to be perfect.

When the night finally came they helped him set it all up before wishing him luck and leaving and now here he was. Standing nervously by the prepared table and hoping that everything went right on this very special night. He had asked his mother and father for some luck while he stood there and he hoped they heard him.

She had arrived shortly afterwards with a small, nervous smile. Naruto smiled as he gazed at her she was beautiful and kind, no doubt he had made the right choice on who to marry.

So they had dinner and they laughed and talked for a bit before he cleared his throat and kneeled before her. He planned to give her this lengthy speech once he pulled the ring out since that was one of his specialties; giving lengthy speeches that was.

But as he reached into his pocket to pull out the ring he was met with emptiness. He had starred wide-eyed at the pockets before reaching into his other one and hoping that everything would be okay and it'd just be in there but alas that pocket was empty too. He groaned as he fell on to his hands and knees before searching around the grassy area for the ring.

Hinata had squeaked when he did that and proceeded to call his name but he was much too focused on trying to find the ring he had bought her. He sighed as he sat back and then looked at her.

The girl was giggling behind her hands before she stood up and extended her hand out to him. He chuckled sheepishly as he took it and hauled himself off the ground, he was about to apologize for being so darn forgetful before she promptly shut him up with a kiss.

"With or without that ring I want to marry you too, Naruto-kun."

And truly, that was all he needed.

* * *

_iii. During the last months of her pregnancy Naruto had been ridiculously overprotective._

* * *

Hinata hummed softly as she looked up at the clear, blue sky. Today she would be going home to an empty house since her husband had left early in the morning for a meeting in Suna with the Kazekage, which if they were being truthful was more of a catch-up session.

She didn't mind, she had told him to be careful and to not give Sasuke-san and Neji-nii a hard time while they guarded him. He had scratched the back of his neck and told her to be extremely careful before he began to lay out some rules for her to follow. He had told her that if anything happened to send a carrier hawk with a message and he'd be on his way quicker than his father could ever be anywhere.

Naruto had been this way since she entered the fifth month of her pregnancy. She was on her ninth and final one and the overprotective nature she didn't know he processed, still hadn't resided, in fact it's only gotten worse since her fifth month.

He would show up randomly while she was helping Sakura at the hospital and demand she lower her working hours, only causing Sakura to seethe and punch him right out of there. Sometimes he'd ditch his Hokage duties to come home and look after her like she was suffering from some life threatening illness.

But now she'd finally get a break, she smiled as she clutched her shopping bags tightly. She was making her way home after shopping for some groceries to make dinner for tonight. She looked back to the road ahead of her and smiled at everyone who passed her. The people of the village would wave and smile before bowing as a sign of respect to the wife of the Hokage.

As she neared their home she was rewarded with a 'poof' and a cloud of smoke. Before she could fully register what was going on she was met with Naruto, clad in his Hokage robe and hat handing from his neck as he gave her a stern look.

"These are far too heavy for you," he told her as-a-matter-of-fact.

She frowned as he took the bags and walked next to her.

"Naruto-kun, you're supposed to be heading to Suna right now," she told him, "you're going to be late."

"Sasuke-teme and Neji can wait," he told her seriously, "it's fine."

"They're not the ones waiting for you, what about Gaara-san?" she asked softly, "go, I can handle these, they aren't heavy."

"Gaara and I are cool, he can wait," he told her.

She sighed softly as he lead the way home, she wondered just how long it'd be before Sasuke-san and Neji-nii would come dragging him away. She hoped it'd be soon because Naruto was impossible sometimes and if he was allowed more time to hang around her then he will eventually not want to go to Suna making everyone's job a little more difficult.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?"

"I told you not to give people a hard time."

* * *

_iv. He always thought that she was the worst during her pregnancy_

* * *

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he stared at his wife. She was now 8 months pregnant and still she found the energy to come and berate him about not doing his work. It was absolutely ridiculous, he was _the_ Hokage, he bossed people around, not the other way around.

But it seemed his wife wasn't aware of his Hokage status by the way she was talking to him.

"And if you applied yourself you'd probably be done and have enough time to dust the furniture," she spoke in that soft voice of hers, but he could hear the judgemental tone it had taken.

"Hinata-chan, don't you have a check up?"

"Hmm," she replied moving a finger over a dusty cabinet, "Naruto-kun, this place is disgusting."

He gritted his teeth, he wasn't sure why his wife was so hell-bent on taking out her hormones' rage on him. It wasn't his fault that she was in this state, well, it kind of was since he put that thing inside of her, but that didn't give her the right to boss him around.

It's like he's said before; he's the _freaking_ Hokage.

"Naruto-sensei!"

He groaned loudly as he heard that high-pitched voice outside of his office. He had completely forgotten he had training with his student and if he let Hinata know that he had forgotten then he'd get scolded some more and that just wouldn't do.

He watched as Hinata went and opened the door allowing his student to walk in. His student, Kitamura Aoi, was the daughter of two civilians but she was somehow gifted with amazing abilities. She was a fast learner and that always worked in his favor when he taught her something in a rush. Currently she was working on mastering the Rasengan, but he had doubt in his mind she'd master that soon.

The small girl puffed out her cheeks, "you forgot we have training, didn't you?"

"N-No," he chuckled nervously, his wife's dangerous aura activating.

"Naruto-kun, you're so scattered brained," Hinata huffed out in annoyance, "if you used your calendar you wouldn't be in this mess."

After that Naruto got no input in the situation, he was only allowed to listen and since Aoi brought this on him he made her sit with him and listen to his wife's ramblings. Once his wife was finished she had bid him goodbye and told him to be home early or he'd be sorry.

Aoi let out a breath of relief before looking at him with a frown, "I hope she gives birth soon."

"Me too, Aoi-chan, me too," he sighed, rubbing his hand across his face.

* * *

_v. All Hinata ever wanted was to give Naruto the happiness and family he never had as a child._

* * *

"And what do we name him?"

Her eyes searched his as he looked down at the tiny infant in her arms. He had a look on his face that she'd never come across before, it was strange to even see it.

"After my father, if you want," he smiled.

"Minato?" she smiled.

He nodded his head, "yeah, Minato."

"That's a wonderful name, Naruto-kun," she smiled, "and I'm sure your father is most pleased."

Instead of responding the blond-haired man slowly brought his finger to the infant's cheek before pressing on it. He chuckled every single time his finger would bounce off of the child's cheek before he leaned down and pressed a small kiss to his forehead.

"This child, he's beautiful," Naruto smiled, "he's-"

"Naruto-kun," Hinata cut him off, "I promise you won't regret this, I promise you that we'll be happy forever."

Naruto gaped before giving her a small smile, "happy? No, you two make me feel more than that."

His arms came to wrap around her and their child and she smiled, this is all she could've asked for in life. To make Naruto smile and to give him something he's never been able to have. All of this, for him, to see that beautiful smile that's saved her countless of times.

"I love you, Hinata-chan."

"And I love you, Naruto-kun."

* * *

**ES:** _Uh yes. I do believe Minato would be a fitting name (and it's a headcanon soo...deal.) Please drop a review by, thanks x _


	8. her favorite pastime

**S: **_Because making him blush will always be her favorite thing to do.__  
_

**a/n:** _I don't typically enjoy genderbend writing since I sometime's forget that I'm even writing in that sense and I will totally end up calling the supposed 'he' a 'she' and vise versa but no less I thoroughly enjoyed writing this, it was fun. Well enjoy. _

* * *

**13| **_Genderbend_

* * *

If there was one thing Naruko loved doing it would making Hinata-kun blush.

Some would say she was being a very cruel person to make the sweet, quiet boy blush until he passes out. They didn't understand however that she'd only being doing so because getting a reaction out of the quiet boy was an accomplishment all on its own.

Usually the quiet boy would sit and stare out the window, perhaps even bury his head in his textbooks. He had many girls chasing him, after all he was a rich and handsome boy, if she was being honest, but she was the only one so far that had managed to make the boy stutter and turn into a mess of incoherent words and phrases.

In truth, she was the only person who's been able to make him blush.

"Good morning, Hina_-kun_," she smiles brightly, hands clasped behind her back.

The boy looks up from his book, he looks ready to respond but when his eyes land on hers she is rewarded with the sight of his pale face becoming a very bright red. She giggles softly behind her hand as the boy opens his mouth to respond but nothing comes out, it just opens and closes.

"Are you okay?"

"F-Fine," he stutters, his face still bright red.

It's not that she personally enjoys tormenting the boy because she doesn't, it's just that his attention is something she treasures. It's like she's said before she has seen many girls try to win his attention and sure he gives them polite smiles and what-not but it's nothing special, in her eyes. Then she walks up to him with an innocent smile and a small wave and he turns bright scarlet.

She however hopes one day he'll be able to look her in the eye and tell her everything he feels for her, she's sure he'd say something sweet and meaningful.

"Are you eating lunch with Saku-kun and Ino-kun?" she asks in a polite smile.

He nods his head vigorously, "Y-Yeah."

Naruko smiles brightly because for once it has been a total of six minutes and the boy remains standing, he hasn't fainted. Sure, he's still bright scarlet and he's still having trouble articulating but that's alright, him not fainting is something to celebrate.

"That's good," she grins.

"A-Are y-you e-eating lun-lunch with-"

She saves him the trouble and nods her head, "Yup, just like always."

The boy nods his head and he looks about ready to run off but she'll give him credit for being able to keep himself from falling over. Perhaps she should test the waters and see if this isn't some fluke, perhaps he's too shocked to faint and fall over.

"Hm," she giggles, "we should eat lunch together one day, Hina-kun."

And before she can get her answer she sees the boy turn a brighter shade of red before his eyes roll back and he falls forward on his desk. Naruko gasps as she looks down at the unconscious boy, she pokes the side of his face a few times but he doesn't respond.

"Damn it," she curses.

She sighs, maybe next time he'll stay conscious enough to give her a proper answer.

* * *

**ES:** _I hope and pry I didn't get mixed up somewhere along the way. Thanks for reading x _


	9. two halves of a whole

**summary:** _Because you and I are different, two halves of a whole. __  
_

**a/n: **_I did this in AU because it went well with what I had in my mind, enjoy._

* * *

**14| **_Yin and Yang_

* * *

Hyuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto.

They were far too different in every single aspect of their lives and somehow they still managed to fall completely and utterly in love. It had been a miracle, something that not even the most perceptive of people couldn't have figured out.

She was a very quiet girl, polite and only spoke when spoken to. The daughter of a business man, a rich one at that, she was of the higher districts. The heiress to her father's company's when she comes of age. She was shy and reserved, never letting anyone see her emotions, always making sure she kept everything bottled up for the sake of others.

He was something she wasn't, he was loud, obnoxious and always made sure he made himself heard. He was the son of an important politician and from what he told her his father was his greatest source of inspiration. He was smart and idiotic all at the same time and he knew how to speak his mind. He was the kind of person that held a light within him that you wouldn't notice because of his troublemaker attitude.

She had met him on a cold November night, she had been tired of her father's pushy attitude and had opened the door to their limo before it pulled away and ran, she had run and run until her legs felt numb. Somehow she had ended up in the lower district, surrounded by complete strangers and it had only served to make her nervous and scared. So she had walked back, deciding to call any friend of hers that would be willing to help her.

That's when some men had spotted her, they had smirked at her, cat called and she had shrieked wanting to get away,_ needing _to get away. So she ran once again, this time from where she had come from.

When she heard them laughing behind her she had decided she needed to pick up her pace and somehow ended up in an alleyway. She had found it to be a dead-end and had become nervous at the prospect of being touched by those despicable men.

When they had made their way towards her he had stepped out as if from the shadows. He was tall and lean from what she saw, blond hair spiking up in all sorts of directions. He had worn what looked to be a school uniform, as it was completely black and what looked like a headband was tied around his head, two strands falling behind, swaying in the wind.

His voice was rough and she had flinched at how angry it sounded.

_"Don't ever mess with her again."_

The man had given him a snarl before leaving without another word. She had expected him to turn around and completely harass her but he didn't, much to her surprise. He had turned his head to regard her with a calculating look.

"You're the Hyuga girl."

It hadn't been a question, he knew, but she wasn't sure how. She nodded her head and he turned his body completely towards her, his hand extending out to her. She had looked at it carefully before slipping her hand into his, he shook it and his scowl had been replaced with a smile.

The smile had captivated her.

It was the most radiant thing in the world and she believed that it could even give the sun a run for its money. He had explained that his father was familiar with her father, they had met at some meeting for some reason or another. From that they on they had become friends.

Her friends had berated her on the issue claiming that he was too rough and had the aura of a gang member to be hanging around her. They called him good for nothing despite being heir to a wealthy family. They disregarded her claims that he was kind and everything you'd never expect from someone like him and wrote him off as a thug who had no business with them or her for that matter.

Despite their differences she kept seeing him, kept hanging around him. She found herself completely captivated by the boy who was everything she wasn't, her opposite in every sense of the word.

Maybe that's why they worked so well, their differences never left room for boring conversations. He always had something new to share with her and she always found his interests to be pleasant and amazing.

When he had asked her to be his girlfriend she had blushed furiously, as she had always done around him before stuttering a response to him. When she asked him why he wanted to date her he had told her that they were opposites, two parts of a whole and that for some reason he found that to be reassuring.

They had been known as the strangest couple in history, to her friends and his as well.

Her friends claimed that a thug had no business dating someone as sweet and as caring as herself. They had claimed that the boy would only taint her with his perverted mind and that she'd change into what he was, but she never stopped loving him.

His friends had said that a girl like herself would never make someone as loud as him happy. They were too different with no interests to compare, they had nothing to really agree on. His friends had said that they wouldn't last, that they'd fight because they'd have many disagreements but he had scoffed and said that a boring relationship wasn't one he wished to partake in.

"Two parts of a whole, Hinata-chan," he smiled down at her, "that's what we are."

"Yeah," she giggled.

"And even if we're different I don't mind," he told her with a grin, "you're important to me no matter what anyone says."

"I'm glad."

* * *

**ES:** _Not as content with this as I wanted to be but no less here it is, much love x _


	10. those stupid love songs

**Summary: **_Hinata and Naruto and those stupid love songs that remind them of each other.  
_

**a/n:** _If you wish to know the song list you're welcome to ask! I had so many more in mind but my tiredness got the better of me tonight. Well enjoy and thanks for your reviews! _

* * *

**15| **_Songs that remind you of Naruhina_

* * *

_i. I'm never going down, I'm never giving up, I'm never gonna leave / Then say you like me._

* * *

When he pieced it together he had been surprised to say the least.

She liked him, no, like was such a half-hearted word to describe what she felt for him. She had told him herself, so that there'd be no mistranslations; she loved him back then when they were kids and she loved him now.

To say it had taken him by surprise was an understatement because all this time he brushed her affections as something done because he was a fellow comrade of the Hidden Leaf, but no, things were always different for her. She did all those things because she cared for him in ways that no one else had cared for him.

He was grateful for her.

So he wouldn't push those feelings of hers away and he wouldn't pretend he didn't hear them. Her message was clear enough, he understood without needing to decipher anything. And if she loved him then he wanted her to tell him, _always_.

Because those feelings of hers were precious to him so he'd fight tooth and nail to become someone in her life, someone important, he wouldn't give up until she breathed those words out once more.

And when she said those words once more this time he will look at her with the biggest smile and respond; _I love you too._

* * *

_ii. I can be the one / I'll be there with you through it all, even if saving you sends me to heaven._

* * *

Looking down at him lying on the ground she knows she's made the right choice.

She can hear her father calling her a fool in her head but she can't find herself to care. The boy laying on the ground, helpless and lost, has saved her more times than she can count on her fingers.

It's her turn to suck up the fear that resides in her and help him out.

After all, she claims she loves him unconditionally, does she not? It would only make sense to show that there's truth behind her words, that she wasn't in love with the boy because of his status or anything else. She would show everyone just how much this boy meant to her and then even he would have to take her words more seriously now.

_If I love you then I'll save you._

Even if she wouldn't come out alive, even if she was injured to the point of now return she'd back up everything she's said up until this point in time. Her eyes activate and she looks at the enemy with anger in her eyes. He won't hurt her most precious person, not when she's around.

Consequences be damned.

* * *

_iii. I can finally see that you're right there beside me / please don't let me go, I desperately need you_

* * *

It had taken him years to figure it all out.

All those attempts at protecting him and he had been so blind about the meaning behind them. Now he had her confession in his hands and he wasn't going to let it go to waste, he wasn't going to push her away, he couldn't.

She changed him, she made him want to become better than he was yesterday. She was the one person who allowed him to cling to her when he felt like the world was slowly slipping from his grasp. She kept him near when he needed it most, when his mind threatened to allow the hatred to take over and she wasn't scared of him, she's never once been scared of him.

_"I'll protect you."_

Those words, he'll cling and cling to those words because in the end that's what he's been dying to hear. This time he isn't the one being strong and trying his best to save a friend from the darkness, this time he's the one being saved.

Someone cares about him so he won't to let her go. Not now, not ever.

* * *

_iv. There's someone I've been missing, I think that they could be the better half of me / So I say to you, come home._

* * *

Waiting for him to return from long missions was never easy.

Being the major worry wart she was she was always coming up with new conclusions about what happened to him. She didn't want him to die out there, she couldn't have him die when she's finally got a hold of him.

She always imagines that someday he'll lose his will to fight and he'll lay on the ground after being beaten, something unlike him, but no less it plays and plays in her mind. A cry for help but there's no one around to help him and she can't imagine having news like that delivered to her.

Her eyes stay on the road before the gates to the village, her eyes are searching and searching. He promised to return around this time, no later than this, and she's going to take his word for it because not taking it will make her worry and conjure up many possibilities once more.

She shuts her eyes and tries to control her erratic heart, repeating in her head that he'll be home and everything will be alright like a mantra.

She hears the light crunch of the dirt and her eyes open quickly, sure enough there he is wearing a big smile as he walks, his hands placed behind his head as he says something to his teammates.

She clasps her hands together in joy and watches as he turns his head to meet her gaze. She finds that the smiles he gives her have always been her favorites and before she can recall what's going on he's running to her arms open wide.

She laughs when he picks her up and swings her around, claiming that 6 months was too long to be away from her.

_"Welcome home, Naruto-kun."_

* * *

_v. When you try your best and you don't succeed / And I will try to fix you._

* * *

They knew they each came with different scars.

She carried the feeling of never being good enough for anything. Her father's constant demands had led her to believe that she would never amount too much. He would always make sure to point her flaws out and he always told her that she'd never make a good family head with a weak resolve as her own. Her younger sister had surpassed her before she had even had the chance to come further along in her skills, her father was never pleased with her and he always made sure she knew that small fact well.

He carried the feeling of loneliness, always having to be alone because no one dared to approach him when he was younger. They had pointed fingers and called him a demon, and they had told him that he would never amount to anything in this world. They had called him a nuisance and they had all shunned him, telling him that a child like himself was nothing but a danger to the village. They pushed him away before he even had the chance to show them that he wasn't as bad as they all claimed he was, that he was a normal human being.

Each one had always thought that one day they'd give up and allow themselves to become nothing but a past. Would people be regretful of their words then?

But things were much different from what they were years ago, somehow they managed to prove everyone wrong. She had went on to master her skills and show her father that with practice and perseverance she could succeed. He went on to surpass his teachers as well as his great father, the 4th. He saved the village and that's when he was noticed, when everyone finally understood that he was never a bad person.

However, they got that far because they had someone to support them. She had him and he had her, that's how it was now. She would never allow him to ever feel lonely or to ever feel shunned from the world. She saved him with her loving words and smiles, she was there when everyone else couldn't and wouldn't be there for him.

And he refused to allow her to feel useless or like she was worth nothing in this world. She was worth more than anyone could even count and he never failed to tell her that. Through actions he showed her that she was someone important, to him and to everyone else. Just like she had saved him, he did the same in turn and never once stopped fighting for her benefit.

They mended each other in ways no one else could and for that they were each grateful to each other. They couldn't even imagine life without the other now because then they're sure things wouldn't be like this. Things were different, he wasn't a lonely boy and she wasn't a failure anymore.

No, now they were Naruto and Hinata, they loved each other and that's all they could ever ask for.

* * *

**ES:** _Alright then! Thanks for reading! x_


	11. first impressions

**summary: **_She only feared letting him meet her parents because Naruto was never one to take the term "First impressions are everything" to heart. _

* * *

**16| **_Meet the Parents (AU or not)_

* * *

Hinata_ knew _that taking Naruto to meet her clan, meaning her father, would only result in a major catastrophe. It was a fact of life, a given, much like how the sky was blue and the grass was green.

And it wasn't that she was embarrassed of Naruto, no, that wasn't the case. The issue here was that Naruto never quite understood the meaning behind "First impressions are everything". Whenever someone new met him it never ended good, unless that person shared the same enthusiasm he possessed, but that was a hardly something that happened a lot.

So now she sat there, half-eaten ramen long forgotten, her mouth opened but no words coming out. Today they were eating lunch together, per his request, and it was nice and lovely until he turned to her his expression that of someone who was about to break serious news.

"I want to meet your family, well, your dad, Hinata-chan," she could see the determination swirling in his eyes.

She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to that, sure, it was nice that Naruto was the one taking the initiative but at the same time it was horrible and she could see the warning signs that this presented her. Sure, her father knew of the kind of man she was dating but he had never actually been around Naruto to see what kind of a man he was.

And she was sure that with Naruto's tendencies her father would have a heart attack on the spot.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably before pressing her lips together, what was she supposed to say to him? She didn't want to be blunt about it and only make him upset or angry with her but at the same time she couldn't sugar coat it and lie to him, that'd be worse.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered, "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Eh, how come?" he frowned returning to his ramen.

"We've only been dating for a while," she sighed softly, "I'm not sure how my father would take that."

"We've been dating for a year, almost two actually," he chuckled, "that's more than enough time."

"Naruto-kun," she sighed once more, "I don't-"

"Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan," he chuckled, "your father won't scare me off, I'll probably be the one to catch him by surprise."

_That's what I'm afraid of, Naruto-kun._

"Well, I don-"

"It's settled," he grinned, "just give me a time and date."

Hinata opened her mouth to say something but no words were longer able to leave her mouth the minute that Naruto's teammates came and whisked him away for a mission they were supposed to be getting ready for.

Hinata ran a hand through her hair and tried to find the best way to break this to her father. She was sure that being the traditionalist that he was, the man would gawk before having a heart attack. She was frightened for what would ensue in this meeting, her father, being that he had always wanted her to marry someone of his choice, probably wouldn't be too pleased and Naruto, her sweet Naruto, would only make things worse by giving her father reasons as to why he shouldn't be dating her.

She didn't want that, she didn't want someone nitpicking at Naruto's flaws.

She loved him, that's all that mattered, neither her father or her clan could change her views on that subject. So with a small sigh she pushed the bowl of unfinished ramen away, she made to pay for her ramen but the owner said that Naruto had already paid hers when he left. She smiled and bid her goodbye, she needed to tell her father and see what he thought.

* * *

She bit her lip as she looked at her boyfriend who was basically fidgeting in his seat. Dinner had been planned for two days after he returned from his mission and when she relayed the message to Naruto he had been ecstatic to attend. He had claimed that he had something _important_ to do once they were there and it only made her nervous about what that could be.

When they arrived he had walked right up to her dad and introduced himself, bowing respectfully. Her father didn't look far too displeased with the boy in front of him so she assumed things were good for now.

They were both dressed in traditional Japanese attire and she was amazed at how Naruto managed to clean up quite well (and all on his own). He was sitting next to her as they ate dinner and he seemed to be listening attentively to the clan business that was being addressed as they ate.

When he put some of his ideas into the situation she had frozen in her spot. She couldn't even begin to describe how they would probably put him down for not being an actual member of the clan and trying to tell them his thoughts. But as they looked at the boy who kept on grinning from ear to ear they all nodded their heads, as if they were taking his suggestion to heart.

"That doesn't sound all too bad, Uzumaki-san," one of them nodded in approval, "I agree with your solution."

"As do I," Neji grinned, "it's not every day someone who isn't from the Hyuga clan comes up with something as brilliant as that."

She gaped slightly at how they praised his outburst rather than putting him down like they normally would, she sighed softly as she looked down at her untouched food. Perhaps she was over thinking everything.

She smiled and tried her best to enjoy the rest of the dinner, she was glad the boy she loved was getting along well with everyone but truth was he hadn't spoken to her father and that's what made her nervous, he had introduced himself and what-not but she was sure her father would want to know more.

She was proven right when her father called them both to the tea room. Hinabi sat on one of the seats sipping her tea quietly, looking like the stoic and quiet girl she's always known her to be. Neji was sitting down as well, looking at them with a small smile on his lips. Her father was sitting as well, he looked far less irritated than normally so she had to wonder what was going on.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto knocked her out of her musings.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" she asked with a small smile.

"You might be mad at me but I've already met your dad," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"W-What?"

"He came when I least expected it," her father told her.

"It was most troublesome," Hinabi replied softly, "father almost had a heart attack, he jumped right at him."

"And he posed a question," her father smiled, "and normally I would say no to such requests but this boy really cares for you."

"What's g-going on?" she frowned, looking at Naruto for answers.

She was rewarded with the sight of him dropped on one knee, a small box in his hand as he presented it to her. She felt the air leave her lungs and she looked around to her family members, Neji for one had his eyes closed and he looked pleased. Hinabi had a smile on her face, a small one, but it was a sight she'd never seen before. Even her father looked happy, in his own way of course.

It was strange to think she had been so worried about the kind of impression he would make but it seemed like she underestimated him. She felt tears brimming her eyes before she nodded her head vigorously.

"_Yes_, I'll marry you."

* * *

**ES: **_Hopefully this counts, it didn't really focus much on the meeting itself but eh, I liked it. Please let me know what you think and what-not! _


	12. unresolved issues

**summary: **_For one reason or another he felt unfulfilled, like he was missing something. _

**a/n:** Favorite prompt so far. Enjoy x

* * *

**17| **_School Days_

* * *

Naruto sighed as he looked out the window.

He was finally graduating in less than an hour and yet for some reason he felt unfulfilled. Sasuke had told him that it was just his stupidity eating away at him for having spent three years doing nothing but making others annoyed and playing pranks on the teachers. It didn't help when his asshole friends agreed with him.

But that wasn't it, it couldn't be.

"Naruto!"

He jumped out of his seat and looked at the person before him, Karin was standing there with her usual scowl on her face and a notebook in hand. He sighed and sat back down as he looked at her with a bored expression.

"I have no idea where Sasuke is," he growled.

"That's not what I was going to ask, idiot," she snapped, her eyes narrowing, "I wanted to know if you're all packed up, we graduate in about an hour, remember?"

"Yeah, I suppose," he sighed, "you know you're really annoying for someone who's my cousin."

She growled lowly, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"You're both annoying," a rough voice spoke up behind them.

Karin jumped slightly and her eyes narrowed further when they watched the owner of the voice come forward, "Suigetsu."

"You idiot," Karin hissed.

"Just wanted to know if you're ready," he yawned, "wouldn't want the Student Council Rep. to kick our butts."

"Sasuke-kun would never," Karin gasped.

"Please," Suigetsu scoffed, "we all know he would, especially you, Naruto."

"Who's that idiot passing his position to, again?" Naruto asked with a small frown.

"Haruno Sakura," Suigetsu smirked, "she won the spot fair and square, although part of me wants to say Sasuke aided that victory."

"Tsk," Karin frowned, "whatever, let's go."

"Go on ahead," Naruto frowned, pushing his chair away from the desk and slipping out.

"Where are you going?" Suigetsu asked with an arched brow, "you do know that we graduate in less than thirty minutes."

"He's got a point, now's not the time to be wandering about," Karin frowned, "and you seem a bit out of it."

"Naruto's sad to be graduating, is all," Kiba grinned coming towards them, "let him be, perhaps he has a few goodbyes to give out."

"Tch," Suigetsu yawned, "I'll be...I don't know, _somewhere_."

"Hey! Don't run off," Karin snapped following Suigetsu.

Naruto watched as Kiba waved him off before rushing over to his other group of friends. With a dejected sigh he slipped out of the classroom and headed to his most precious thinking place.

He pushed the door open and looked around to find it was empty, until his eyes landed on a figured standing not far off to the side. He looked at the girl and concluded that he knew her, she was a second year.

Hyuga Hinata.

She was the girl who he had bumped into during the school festival during his second year (and her first). She had stuttered and apologize several times before he had calmed her down and told her that it was his fault for being a klutz like he always was. That was the day he decided that she was a very special girl, somehow, she seemed to be able to brighten up any day.

He remembered being struck by what Karin had called "love at first sight", but he had always been just a bit more practical than Karin. He had hoped to become closer to the girl but she seemed to have shifted away and then he rarely saw her so he was forced to just move any thoughts of her to the back of his brain.

But here was now.

She was gripping the fence that bordered around tightly, her eyes were glued to the sky above her. Her violet colored hair was swaying this way and that and as he watched he remembered exactly why he had liked the girl so much to begin with.

There was something soft and innocent about her, she was like a warm sunny day. He approached her slowly, clearing his throat when he came close enough to alert her of his presence. She tensed slightly before she turned her head and when she looked at him her eyes had widened visibly before she flinched and quickly turned away from him.

"Hey," he spoke softly, coming next to her.

"N-Naruto-senpai," she stuttered, "h-how a-are y-you?"

"Could be better," he chuckled, "you know with it being graduation you'd think I'd be happy that it's over."

"Y-You a-aren't?" she asked softly.

"No."

"How c-come?" she asked still keeping her eyes away from him.

"Not sure but I-" he paused looking away from her, "I feel unfulfilled."

"I-Is t-that so?" she whispered.

"What are you doing up here?" he asked.

"T-Thinking," she looked down at her shoes, "a-about y-you g-graduating."

He frowned at her words before looking at her, "me?"

She nodded her head slowly, "it's j-just, I w-would r-really l-like t-to k-know you b-better, N-Naruto-senpai."

He smiled, "you could start by calling me 'Naruto-kun', Hinata-_chan_."

He watched with fondness as the girl turned beat red before she gripped the fence tighter and looked down further, her violet hair creating a curtain around her face. He chuckled as he placed his hand on her shoulder causing her to jump slightly and look up at him.

"O-Okay," she whispered.

"Tch," he sighed, removing his hand from her shoulder and closing it around her arm, "you've done it now, Hinata-chan."

She squeaked as he pulled her in to his arms and he couldn't help but bury his head into the crook of her neck. She clutched his school shirt tightly in her small hands as she buried her head further into his neck. Naruto smiled, this, whatever _this_ was, felt right, it felt satisfying for some reason.

"N-Naruto-kun?" she frowned her hands gripping him even more tightly.

"Sorry Hinata-chan," he chuckled, bringing her even closer, "I don't intend to let go."

_Ever._

* * *

**ES: **_Let me know what you think (please). _

_[sorry had to go back and edit something REAL quick or you'd kill me ] _


	13. a happiness of my own

**summary: **_because for once I don't feel empty, I have everything I need now. _

**a/n: **_enjoy x _

* * *

**20| **_Family_

* * *

There's a small flutter in my chest as I read the words written on this scroll.

My hands crush the scroll before I roll it back into its place, I look at the other Kage who are looking at me expectantly. I know that it's not a wise move to be attending to other affairs when we're having an important meeting and about alliances no less.

"Naruto-san," a rough voice calls out.

I turn my head to look at the new Mizukage, he's a few years older than myself but he carries himself like if he were an old man, "yes?"

"I don't mean to be a bother but we're in the middle of a meeting," he tells me but I note the annoyed frown he's giving me, "an _important_ one at that."

I struggle to find the right words to use in this situation as to not offend a potential ally because if I screw this one up, not only will I have Shikamaru's annoying self on me, I'll probably have Sakura's and Sasuke's as well, not to mention that perverted sensei of ours. I scratch the back of my neck and I tighten my hold on the scroll that's in my other hand. I make to reply to him but before I can do so someone else has already spoken.

"You'll have to forgive, Naruto," Gaara's voice speaks up and I freeze, "he's probably received word of his wife."

"Ah yes, Hyuga Hinata," the Tuschikage nods, "such a fine young lady."

"Indeed," Gaara continues, "perhaps you're aware that Hinata-san is pregnant at the moment."

"Ah, is that so?" the newly appointed advisor to the Tuschikage giggles, "how wonderful."

"Uh, y-yes," I chuckle nervously, "t-thank you."

"How far along is she?" the Mizukage asks, "a few months I presume?"

"She's due next week, actually," I tell them.

"We're getting off topic," Shikamaru drawls from my side, I cast him a small glance before nodding.

"S-Sorry," I chuckle.

"What was in the scroll then?" the Raikage asks.

I take a deep breath and look at the small woman, "she happen to go into labor _today_."

I watch as the four kage freeze in their spots, their smiles or annoyed frowns slipping from their face as their eyes widen in alarm. They quickly begin to scramble through the papers we were just discussing before we were interrupted with my message. I watch with a frown on my lips and wonder why they're suddenly rushing through these affairs when minutes ago they were talking about taking the process slowly and carefully but before I can question them the Raikage looks up at me with a confused look.

"If we are to end this meeting then you must hurry," she tells me, "we wouldn't want you to miss out on much."

I blink before my eyes widen and I nod my head before quickly sitting back down, all too content with finishing these papers.

* * *

I make my way into the hospital with fast, purposeful strides, I ignored Shikamaru's request to take a small break before heading out because this couldn't wait. I had been absent to my child's birth so I couldn't just skip out at the moment. I make my way to her room and I don't even get stopped, I assume everyone must know why the Hokage is here anyways.

My eyes land on the door before me and I gulp as I read the letters written on the small slide. I haven't seen Sakura-chan around and she was the one in charge of my wife so as of now I know nothing of what happened. I don't know if she's in tip-top shape or if our child is healthy, no one seemed to know either.

I slide the door open slowly and quietly and walk in, I can feel the nerves eating away at my insides as I step further into the room. I note that Hinata is fast asleep, a serene look on her face but that look has always seemed to follow her around no matter what circumstances she's in.

I look around the small room and note the incubator that's at the side of her bed. Slowly and quietly I walk towards the incubator and I find that my heart is pounding even harder against my ribcage than before.

When I reach the side of the bed I look at the incubator before slowly approaching it. If my friends were in here they'd probably all crack jokes about how I probably looked as if I was approaching enemy territory. I hold on to the end of the incubator and peer inside. I'm excited and nervous to see how our child looks, curious to see what kind of child I've produced along with my beautiful wife.

I gape as I look down at the child inside, he's tiny and beautiful. He has midnight black hair and eyes that match my wifes own set. I can't believe this child is mine, my son, I smile as he blinks up at me. He is very calm for a baby but I assume that's only because he was just born short hours ago.

"Naruto-kun?"

My eyes turn away from the small child and they land on my wife who is sitting up slowly. I rush to her side and aid her before I scold her about taking it easy since she just gave birth and is recovering.

She doesn't take my scolding to heart as she smiles and looks at the child, "he's beautiful, isn't he?"

I nod because it's true, our child, is the most beautiful one in the world. Thanks to her I have it all now, all my life I've lived in solitude with little to no love surrounding me. I found it as I got older but it still didn't make up for the times when I was younger when I didn't have those kinds of things in my life.

However, this woman, my beautiful wife, she's given me all the love in the world. Now she's given me the one thing I never had as a child; a family of my own. I'm grateful to her because for once I don't feel like there's this big void in my heart, for once it feels full.

"What do we name him?" she asks.

"I don't know," I shrug, "any names in mind that you'd like?"

"I like Minato," she tells him, "after your father."

I blink before I give her a smile, "can we?"

She nods her head, "of course, Naruto-kun."

I move back to the incubator and carefully make to pick up our son. When he's in my arms I note just how tiny he really is, he's light and he feels so frail and there's this desire in me to never allow any harm to fall on him. I want this child to grown up in all the right ways, with all the love in the world and with no difficulties.

I look at my wife and smile at her, _"thank you."_

She blinks before I see the tears that form in her eyes, I hand her our child before pulling them both into my arms. She cries softly into my chest and I know well enough that her tears aren't of sadness, they're of happiness. She's happy too and that only adds to my happiness.

"We promise we'll make you happy, Naruto-kun," she whispers, "you'll never ever be alone again, we'll be here, we'll be your family."

I press my lips to her forehead and smiles because she doesn't even need to promise such things. I'm happy now, ever since she came into my life I've been happy and I've felt free for the first time. This child, he's only added to that feeling and now we have our own family.

* * *

_Are you proud of me, mom...dad? I have my own family now, I'll never be alone anymore._

* * *

**ES: **_What goes on, beautiful people? Thanks for reading!  
_


	14. in between the pouring rain

**summary:**_ Because in between the awkward conversations and the pouring rain, I fell in love with you._

**a/n:** _AU because it makes me happy. _

* * *

**22| **_Caught in the Rain_

* * *

She groaned softly when she looked on as the rain poured down.

She had been so careless in leaving the house without an umbrella even when her cousin had warned her. With a dejected sigh she slumped against the wall and looked at the students that collected their umbrellas and left in a rush.

Her eyes wandered around before they landed on a couple, a couple she knew too well. She watched as the boy told the girl he'd get her umbrella before he rushed over and she watched with wide eyes as he took a pink umbrella (probably hers) and stuffed it were it couldn't be seen. She arched and eyebrow as he picked up his own black umbrella before he walked back over.

It seemed he lied to the girl about the whereabouts of her own umbrella because she slumped forward and then the hand gripping her bag tightened its hold. She swore the girl was probably going anything in her reach to show her frustration. However, her anger was soon forgotten when the boy nodded in the direction of the exit before walking ahead of her.

She almost giggled at his antics, leave it to him to be the only boy who would ever go through so much trouble just to get the girl he likes to share an umbrella with him. She supposed it was almost out of character for the boy but then again it's probably a side of him no one really knows about. The girl beamed up at him as he opened the umbrella outside and allowed her to follow into step behind him.

She sighed softly and stood up from her place on the ground, intent on just running home. She had told the driver she didn't need anyone to pick her up today and she could just call but she knew when she told him to take the day off he was thrilled. She'd hate to call him and then have him curse under his breath about how much of a brat she was.

Neji would've sighed and said she was just _too nice_.

She stepped out and watched as the rain poured ahead of her, she gripped her bag tightly and wondered if her father would scold her for arriving home drenched. She made to step out towards the actual rain before someone cleared their throat behind her.

She looked behind her and up to see a boy standing there.

He was wearing a small frown on his lips as he looked at her, "you okay?"

She nodded her head, she'd seen this boy before. He was quite famous, as she recalled Neji speaking of him. He was supposed to be this big trouble maker who only ensured that those around him got hurt or in trouble. She had always thought Neji was exaggerating, that no one did those things on purpose, even if she never met the boy she always found herself defending him.

But here he was now, looking down at her expectantly.

"You're Neji's cousin, aren't you?"

"Y-You know Neji-nii?" she asked softly, her hold on her bag loosening up a bit.

He nodded his head with a chuckled, "who doesn't know the know-it-all, besides he was the one that got beaten by Haruno Sakura for vice president of the student council."

Hinata pursed her lips as to not laugh, remembering how bitter and moody Neji had been when he told her and Hinabi that he had been beaten by the, and she quotes, "Uchiha-asshole" and "Pink-haired know-it-all." It had taken a total of five weeks for Neji to move on from the subject, much to her father's chagrin.

"So you're name?"

She squeaked in surprise before she felt her cheeks burn up, "H-Hyuga H-Hi-Hinata."

"Hm," he smiled, "Hinata_-chan_."

She blushed at how he seemed to throw caution out into the wind and decided to add _-chan _to her name, like they've known each other for a while. Gripping her bag tightly, once again, she took a small step back and the boy chuckled.

"Y-You don't k-know me," she told him with a frown, "isn't t-that t-too fa-familar?"

He shrugged, "eh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

Her eyes widened as she looked at him, "n-nice to meet you, U-Uzumaki-san."

"Uzumaki-san?" he scoffed, "I sound old and the only old person here is Tsunade-bachan."

Hinata cringed at how he used their principal's name so casually, like he didn't care for respect. Stepping further back she looked towards the school's gate and only exit at this point, she wondered if she could run because this boy was strange.

"Did you forget your umbrella, Hinata-chan?"

She blinked and looked back towards him, the rain was still pouring behind her and she contemplated saying she did to see if he could help her. But what if she said that and he merely laughed and left here there stranded, what if she had to stay there because the rain didn't clear up? She'd starve to death and then her father would have to send out a search party and Neji would be furious with her, and Hinabi would-

"Hinata-chan?"

"Yeah, I f-forgot," she spoke softly, "I d-didn't think it w-would ra-rain all day."

He smiled down at her as he stepped forward, she watched as he opened his umbrella and pulled it under him. For a while he didn't move and she wondered what he was even doing there just standing.

He turned his head to look at her once more and he gave her another smile, but this one was much different from those other ones. She wasn't sure how it was different but it was, it seemed to brighten up the gloomy atmosphere around her.

"Come on," he smiled, "I'll walk you home."

She stood still for a few minutes before walking forward hesitantly, once they were both under the umbrella they began walking. Hinata wanted to ask him if his house was on the way to her own but she feared being shut down for asking too many things.

"So Hinata-chan, do you like ramen?" he asked, his eyes remained on the street ahead of them.

She blinked before nodding her head slowly, "I s-suppose."

"Hm," he smiled, "have you ever been to Ichiraku?"

She looked away from the street and up at him, "I h-haven't."

"Tch, what a shame," he sighed, "they've got the best ramen in town."

"Is that so?" a small smile made its way to her face.

He nodded his head laughing, "yeah, especially their Miso ramen."

She hummed softly, looking up at him she noticed that the smile he had given her back at school still wasn't gone. She was amazed by how different he was from what everyone else said, they called him troublesome and moody and they all said he was anti-social. She was confused, was this the boy they all spoke about, he seemed so different. This boy wasn't at all troublesome or moody, nor was he anti-social. He was talkative and he had the warmest personality she'd ever come across, he looked like a generally easy person to get along with.

Why did people say those things if they weren't true?

"Uzumaki-san," she cleared her throat, "a-are you o-okay?"

He blinked before looking down at her with an arched eyebrow, he looked amused, "I'm fine actually, Hinata-chan."

"Oh, o-okay," she blushed, looking down at the floor quickly.

"You're the first person who's ever asked me that, Hinata-chan," he chuckles, "no one ever bothers with me."

That's when it finally dawns on her, this boy, he isn't what everyone thinks he is. They all believe these weird and crazy stories of him because they've never given him the time of day to explain himself and to show them that there's more than him than what meets the eye.

Smiling to herself she wonders if she's the only one who's seen this side of him.

"You're really pretty when you smile, Hinata-chan."

She feels her face heat up and she decides she'll keep her eyes trained on the ground. Even if he seems like a sweet boy the one thing she cannot accept are his blunt comments, those have to be the worst.

"T-Thank you," she whispers.

"So Hinata-chan, home come you're so quiet?"

She blinks before looking up at him, he's noticed that? Here she was thinking she was invisible because she would never be as intelligent as her cousin Neji or as out-going as her younger sister Hinabi. All this time she thought no one even knew who she was, she always felt like a shadow to her family members, but this boy, he noticed.

"D-Do I seem t-that way?"

He nodded, "yeah, you always look so sad and I don't know but seeing you sad makes me...sad."

She feels the heat rush back to her face but before she can ask him what that even means he stops. She stops before she comes out of the umbrella and looking around she notes that they're finally at her own home.

He whistles lowly, "Neji lives here, well I suppose it's to be expected, you guys are a very influential family."

"T-Thank you f-for wa-walking me home," she whispers, looking away from him.

He chuckles, "No problem, I liked walking with you, it's refreshing."

She looks at him slowly, "h-how so?"

"You're the first girl who's never kept her distance, you didn't show fear when I approached you," he smiles brightly.

Hinata blinks as she steps towards the gates, taking a deep breath she looks back at him, "there's nothing to be afraid, you're quite...friendly."

She walks forward to the small tower to let the guards know they can open the door before he lets out a laugh. She looks back once more and notes that he's still laughing, his umbrella swaying this way and back. With wide eyes she rushes to his side and holds his hand still as he'll get wet and probably sick if he doesn't keep himself covered.

"Y-You'll g-get si-sick," she tells him.

Before she can say anything else he stops laughing and his head bows, his blond hair falling over his face. She watches with wide eyes as the smile he had on his lips prior to this leaves a small frown settling itself on his lips.

"You care?" he asks lowly.

She stops short and looks down at him, "w-what?"

"That's good then," he says softly.

Before she can register whats going on he's drops the umbrella and all she hears is the small noise it makes once it comes in contact with the ground before his arms wrap around her body and he pulls her in. She freezes completely as she looks ahead of her, the boy is clinging to her tightly, like he's afraid of something, she's not sure.

"U-Uzumaki-san?"

"Tch," he chuckles, "call me Naruto-kun."

"But I-"

"Sh," he whispers into her hair, "please."

She slumps forward, "al-alright Naruto-k-kun."

He takes a deep breath in before he tightens his hold her, "people like you...I like."

Before she can respond he presses his lips to her own in a small chaste kiss. She feels her face grown hot and her heart drums in her ribcage before his arms slip away from her and he makes to retrieve his umbrella. He doesn't say anything else before he begins to walk away, in the direction they just came from.

With wide eyes she realizes that he doesn't even live here and with that simple fact she feels her face heat up even more. This boy, he's strange, yes, but he isn't what others make him out to be.

_"People like you...I like."_

She forgets that she's still in the rain as she presses her small hand to her lips and smiles.

Perhaps she should learn to forget her umbrella more often, maybe it'd give her another chance to get caught in the rain with Naruto-kun.

* * *

**ES: **_I hope you guys liked the prompt, I'm suffering because of the new chapter. Someone hold me. _

_[thanks for reading] _


	15. no one but you

**summary: **_don't you worry darlin', coz those girls ain't got nothing on you._

**a/n: **_been slacking due to a busy schedule, sorry *bows* but here you go! And yes, AU because I love writing in AU._

* * *

**26: **_Change_

* * *

He watched her out of the corner of his eye carefully.

She was sitting on their couch her legs bent beside her as she skimmed through a magazine. Now, typically he wouldn't be much for watching her do something so simple when his favorite cooking show was on but this wasn't any kind of magazine.

It was that damn magazine that specialized itself on simply showing pictures of famous models, doing several spreads with some of them and then maybe even giving out a few facts about them, nothing special. Or so he'd like to think.

But his girlfriend, she always thought differently than he did. Her thoughts always centered on why she wasn't on those covers or spreads, why wasn't she considered _"beautiful". _That was her worst flaw, he thinks, the fact that she refuses to give herself credit and only puts herself down time and time again. Sometimes he'll admit it's nerve grating but he's heard Sakura explain that every girl thinks this way, no matter who she is.

"Hinata-chan," he calls to her softly, his eyes moving away from her and to the screen.

He feels her shift beside him, "yes?"

"Whatcha' reading?"

"My new magazine issue came today," she explains in that soft voice of hers, "I wanted to see these months shoots and what-not."

"Is that so?" he hums, eyes still glued to the flashing screen.

"Yeah," she whispers.

It grows quiet once more and he slowly moves his eyes back to her. Her head is slightly bowed as she flips the page, he can see the way her lips form a straight line every single time she looks at the models on those spreads.

"She's pretty, isn't she, Naruto-kun?"

He blinks and watches her raise her head and point to a girl on the magazine. He'll admit, the girl is attractive in her own right, but if he's honest she's got nothing on the woman sitting beside him. This woman is giving what is an obvious fake smile, she's looking at the camera but her eyes lack the happiness he's seen countless of times on his girlfriend.

She's wearing loads of make-up and she's posing.

It's all fake.

"Hmm," he chuckles, "I suppose so."

"You don't think so?" she gasps softly, "she's one of the most sought out models of the world."

"Is she?"

"Yeah, Ino-chan's worked with her before," Hinata informs him.

"Hm, that Ino, she still modeling?"

"Yeah," Hinata nods her head, "she is."

"It suits her."

"Because she's pretty?" Hinata smiles, but he can tell it lacks sincerity, "I think so too."

"No, Ino's just-" he groans, "I don't know, but you know something Hinata-chan?"

"You shouldn't change yourself to be like these women, not now and not ever," he tells her, turning back to the television.

The girl shuts the magazine and places it on the coffee table, "maybe a new haircut would do."

He looks at her carefully and notes her head is bowed once more, he frowns and reaches for the remote before turning the television off.

"Naruto-kun," she gasps, her head shooting up, "don't turn it off, it's your favorite show."

"It can wait," he growls.

"I do-"

"You, you don't get it, do you?"

She blinks.

"Those women, if I wanted one of those women I'd gone out to look for one, but I don't," he tells her with a frown, "those women mean absolutely nothing, will never mean nothing and If you ever went out and turned yourself into one of them because you felt like I'd like that and because you felt they were beautiful and you weren't, I'd be upset with you."

"I don't-"

"You don't get to talk just yet," he tells her, pulling her on to his lap, "you, you're beautiful, in every single way, from those light eyes of yours to your smile, just being you is beautiful."

The girl blushes and tries to bury her head into his chest but he catches her chin before she does so and stares into her eyes. She's looking at him with surprise, a blush adorning her cheeks.

"Those women," he speaks lowly, "those women are the ones who can't and won't ever compare to you, you should never change because to me you're the best one out there."

With that he brings her in for a kiss and when her small hands clutch tightly at his shirt and she smiles into his kiss, he chuckles before deepening it. When she pulls away from him, he carefully brings her forehead to rest on his.

"You're beautiful and I would never want you to change," he whispers against her lips, "_never_."

* * *

**ES: **Adios amigos!


	16. a stressful mission

**summary: **Naruto and Hinata and a completely different form of teamwork.

**a/n: **_Enjoy, two prompts left in this month! woot _

* * *

**29| **_Teamwork_

* * *

It was one thing to go into battle to fight evil side by side and use each others skills to create an original combination attack, that kind of teamwork was only done on the battlefield.

But at home there lay a bigger danger that required more teamwork than any S-rank mission he sent his shinobi on day in and day out. This kind of teamwork was dangerous in its own way and despite how simple it may first look there were times when survival rates where low.

Or so Naruto would like to believe.

He sits with elbows propped on his knees, his mouth behind his clasped hands. His trained blue eyes are looking carefully at the sleeping child before him. She's a cute little thing, he'll admit, but that's what makes her all the more deadly. When she begins to wriggle, shifting slightly before her eyes snap open and she looks around he snorts: it's begun.

He moves to collect her from the playpen she was in and holds her up at arms length, regarding her with calculating eyes. From what his friends tell him she's an exact copy of him, except her hair seems to be styled a bit more like his wifes. She's looking at him with her big blue eyes, small bangs clipped away by some ramen clips Sasuke had gotten for her not too long ago.

"Hello there, Noriko-chan," he says cooly.

The small child coos before a smile spreads on her lips and she extends her chubby arms towards him. He smirks before pulling her against him and heading into the kitchen to aid his wife, who's taking a long time to handle their other little warrior.

He enters the kitchen and watches as his wife wraps their son's knee in a small bandage. His arms are crossed over his chest, a pout on his lips, and a band-aid on his left cheek. He looks slightly irritated and slightly defeated and he's got to wonder what happened now.

This child is far more difficult to manage because he neither inherited his wifes sweet and shy nature nor did he inherit his own hyperactive and loud one. He's aloof and quiet and reminds him and awful lot of Sasuke and Neji. He resembles Sasuke is his aloof attitude and cold remarks and he resembles Neji in that he's over-confident in his skills and sometimes thinks too highly of himself.

It's eerie and Naruto hates it.

"You alright there, Minato?" he asks with a small smile.

"I'm fine," he pouts, his cheeks puffing out.

"Try to be careful next time," Hinata smiles, "it wouldn't be good if you have bandages all over your body."

"Tch," he scoffs, "it's that annoying Ita-kun's fault."

Naruto chuckles at the small boys words, he wasn't the first to notice that as far as their kids go their roles seemed to have reversed. Sasuke had smirked and said that his son turned out the be the loud annoying dobe and Naruto had groaned at the prospect of having a kid like teme running around his house.

"You shouldn't fight with Teme's-"

Hinata coughs, a smile on her lips but Naruto can see the meaning behind it; _keep using bad langauge in front of our kids and I'll castrate you._

He coughs, "I mean, no more fights with Sasuke's kid, alright?"

The small boy scowls at him before puffing out his cheeks and turning away from them. Hinata chuckles softly before patting his knee gently and he takes it as a sign to slide off of the counter.

"I want to master the Rasengan," he grins up at him.

Naruto chuckles nervously as his son's sudden determination as he switches his grip on Noriko-chan.

"Well you see the thing is-"

"Your papa has Hokage duties to tend to," Hinata smiles, patting his head, "he can't at the moment."

The smile child frowns before looking up at his father, "fine, but toy gotta tell me a story tonight!"

Naruto smiles, "alright."

With that the small boy smirks before he slips a kunai out of his pouch and Naruto grins at the determination that flashes through his clear eyes. With that he waves goodbye before dashing out of the house without another word.

"He's a handful," Naruto groans, "I'd hate to be the one who told him he can't learn the Rasengan."

"He'll understand, he's a big boy," Hinata smiles warmly.

Minato had been a very calm baby when he was first-born and Naruto had been ecstatic at the prospect of actually getting sleep. Turns out that it was just some rouse because when Minato got fussy, he seriously got fussy. He would cry and cry until someone met his demands. If he was honest with himself he'd say that he preferred this ice-cube Minato to the Minato who was a needy baby.

He sighed looking down at his daughter, the small child was occupied with one of the scrolls of his jounin vest, she kept picking at it trying to see what it did. Naruto hoisted her up higher so she'd stop picking at them but as soon as he did that she grabbed a hold of his face.

He initially smiled at how tiny her hands were compared to his face, and he closed his eyes because normally when she did that she'd simply press their foreheads together. This time however she had a different objective in mind and he didn't realize that until he felt something close in on his nose.

It was wet feeling and when he heard a small sucking noise he frowned, pulling the small child away from his nose.

"Noriko," he warned.

The small child went back to picking at his scrolls and he sighed.

"Noriko," he called to her once more.

She looked up at him with wide eyes as he shook his head and told her 'no', then she gave a small giggle and clapped her hands together. He was fully prepared to let her know that she should never do something like that ever again before his wife came and took her out of his arms.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto groaned, "I'm tired."

"It's your turn to make sure Minato-kun gets a bath," she told him, "and to dress Noriko-chan after her bath."

Naruto moaned into his hands, before lifting his head, "fine."

In all honesty, he was glad he had someone like his wife around. He wasn't sure he could survive without her, especially not with their two kids around. He was thankful that she allowed him to help and at the same time helped as well. She never had all the work and neither did he, they met each other half way.

It was far different from different from the kind of teamwork they had on the battlefield but effective no less.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata called out from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Minato-kun is crying," she told him with a chuckle, "it's your turn to patch him up."

Naruto sighed, children were hard work.


	17. not-so typical

**summary: **_a love story all their own. _

**a/n:** Enjoy, one more to go and we're done!

* * *

**30| **_What's your ultimate NaruHina wish?_

**answer:** _happiness._

* * *

Naruto had lived the better part of his life feeling alone, empty and forgotten.

He had no comfort and no one to hold him and tell him that it would all turn out okay in the end. No one ever took the time with him and no one bothered to see what lay beneath the nine-tails. He was cast aside and no one wanted him around because he was dangerous and he was considered a nuisance. He lived all his life without an inch of happiness.

Hinata had lived the better part of her life feeling incompetent, like she'd never amount to anything.

She had little to no comfort in her father, instead she got the cold shoulder and was treated like she meant absolutely nothing. He would train and train her until she was panting, breathless and her muscles ached. Somehow she never matched up to his expectations and Hinabi ended up besting her, thus earning another cold look from her father. She lived in a shadow and who could ever find happiness in such a dark place?

* * *

She had met him on a rare occasion, looking back she could honestly say he was her knight in shinning armor. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance against three other boys, the odds weren't in his favor and yet he still jumped in and protected her. He kept her from being the one beaten to the ground, like it had been his duty, like she had deserved such a thing from them. She realized that day that for that the boy they all spoke of wasn't the one before her, he was much different and he was kind.

That day she fell in love with Uzuamaki Naruto.

He had known her for the better part of her life and to him she'd always seemed strange and far too quiet. Slowly his opinion changed, she was different in his eyes from the moment she stood up for herself, regardless of the outcome. She had saved him too, not that she ever took that into account, she had risked her life to fight against a man who had beaten him down and was about ready to make off with him. She had fought until she couldn't anymore and when he almost lost her he saw red, he couldn't control the hatred and the anger that roared inside of him.

That day he realized he'd be willing to do anything to keep her alive and well, right by his side.

* * *

The war had raged on and she didn't leave his side, even when he was dying and there was no hope, she was there. She stood with a tight hold on his hand and she had told him that he'd be fine, that he wouldn't die, that she wouldn't allow it because no matter how you looked at things she hadn't caught up to him. She told him that her nii-san would be extremely angry with him if he gave up now and she'd never forgive him either, she said. When her lips pressed against his forehead he felt something warm inside of him, he wasn't sure what it was but it felt ...wonderful.

Whatever the feeling was he wanted to feel more of it.

When everything was over she had laughed and cried as everyone around her celebrated. Things were going to be okay and no one would have to live in fear of Madara anymore, she had watched him depart from his father. She was proud of him, proud of everything he's become and everything he will be once things settle back down. When he ran towards her and his arms wrapped around her she had frozen, not daring to look at him in fear of looking far too red for his liking. But before she had time to protest he had slanted his lips over her own and she wasn't sure why she finally felt whole.

The feeling she'd always dreamed of and it was _him_ once again who gave it to her.

* * *

Years had passed and it took a while for everyone to settle down and heal. She even had to think for a moment and let it sink in that Neji wasn't going to be there for her anymore. He had taken a while as well to let all the old scars die down, he mended his relationship with Sasuke and it seemed that things were going okay. They had been seeing each other ever since he first kissed her and it felt nice to know that he was hers and she was his. It felt right in its own way and she wouldn't have it any other way. She wondered where they were going to end up in life.

No matter where it was she hoped they'd always be together.

He had done everything he said he would, an old friend was back in Konoha, trying to regain what he had lost. He was healing in his own way and so was his girlfriend, they both had lost too much and gained so little in that war. He was months away from becoming the Hokage and he couldn't be more happy, he hoped his parents were watching him and he hoped they were proud of who he had become, their dream truly would continue on with him. However, he refused to have the title all on his own, he had wanted someone by his side, not as an advisor -he'd reserved that one for Shikamaru -but as something more. He had picked out the perfect person from the beginning and now as he stared at the small ring in his hand he knew he couldn't have chosen someone better.

He was going to gain a new happiness and never let hers go away.


	18. no matter what

**summary: **_because when you're Hinata and Naruto such a moment can't go without disaster. __  
_

**a/n: **And with this I officially end my NaruHina month prompts. Wowza, it's been a month already?! Well, I hope you guys enjoyed every prompt I did manage to make and to those I didn't, my sincerest apologies ─ hopefully next year I won't be so darn scatter brained. Now, enjoy [AU because I love writing AU.]

* * *

**31| **_Confession_

* * *

He felt his stomach flutter once more.

He cursed under his breath as he stared at the empty seat before him. He knew he shouldn't feel as anxious as he did since he decided he'd gone and shown up thirty minutes early. But it wasn't hos fault that he felt that way, it was hers, she's the one that's been having him like this for months on end.

Tonight he actually planned to tell her how he felt about her, that's why he had made sure to get reservations somewhere fancy ─sadly, he had initially thought of Ichiraku as "fancy" but one punch from Sakura and a dirty look from Sasuke later he sat down and rethought his idea of "fancy".

His mother had been thrilled to hear that he was finally taking a step forward and asking the girl out. She had even asked him for the place he was deciding to take her to but before he could reveal his plans his father had stepped in and told him that his mother was simply being nosy and if he didn't want a disastrous first date then he shouldn't give her the location, or any other vital information of what was to happen.

He had also asked his father for advice, deeming him to know more about the subject but the man had merely looked solemn, hands clasped together as he looked at him before speaking slowly:

"Never, under any circumstances should you allow a woman to wrap you around her little finger, once you're wrapped up you never unwrap. _Never_."

After he said that the man's face seemed to have changed into something weird, he suddenly looked like he was having war flashbacks. His mother however, had wiped those clean right off of his face, punching him straight to the ground for exaggerating and then continuing on with a harsh scolding. He didn't dare stick around for whatever other punishments his mother would dish out, he was frightened.

He sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time as he looked at his watch, it was two minutes until their set time.

A part of him was taunting him with the possibility of her ditching him at the last second. It's been known to happen, according to Kiba, claiming that sometimes women were harsh creatures and you can never be _too _careful around them.

He checked the time once more and noted that it was two minutes past their set time. He became frantic as he thought of all the reasons why she would even want to ditch him, was he really that dumb? Surely, Sasuke wasn't correct on the matter, the asshole was just being...well an asshole.

He slumped in his chair, fully prepared to order more wine, dine alone and then go home and just sleep until he couldn't sleep any longer.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

His eyes widened as he looked at the woman before him, she was wearing a simple dress with a cardigan over it, she didn't look over dressed nor was she under dressed. To him she looked as beautiful as ever, with her long hair flowing down her back and her clear eyes shinning, and even that small blush she always seemed to have on her face.

He got up to pull her chair out and was happy when she blushed a brighter red before sitting down, allowing him to push the chair back in. He quickly crossed over to his seat and sat down before she could begin speaking.

"Thank you for inviting me out to dinner," she smiled at him, "it was a pleasant surprise, Naruto-san."

"Please," he cleared his throat, "you can call me Naruto-kun."

He watched her cheeks turned even brighter than before, before she stammered with her reply, "o-of course N-N-Naruto-_kun_."

He gave her a grin before reaching for their wine bottle and pouring the liquid into both of their glasses. He needed to loosen her up if he was going to break it to her, or she'd just stammer, blush, faint and fall over like she normally did when he was too straight forward in his actions. He needed to make sure that he would get a proper response from her or everything would be ruined and he'd have to go home and tell everyone what happened, only to have his mother laugh at him, along with just about everyone else.

So he made sure she took a sufficient amount of wine, being careful not to make her drunk either.

In the mean time he decided he'd at least talk to her, set the mood for later on. They talked about the company he ran with Sasuke and how much work it had been to get it to where it was now, she talked about her family and her overprotective cousin -that he became thankful he'd never met. They talked about anything and everything and he found himself really liking the Hinata that wasn't too concentrated in her work to glance up at him and give him a smile.

After a total of forty minutes -yes, he was counting he decided that it was time to finally tell her his motives behind this dinner. He cleared his throat and shut his eyes tightly, preparing himself for whatever dangers lay ahead.

However, in closing his eyes he failed to notice the girl had decided to take a small sip out of her drink.

"Hinata-chan, I like you," he finally blurted out.

He expected to hear her laugh anything, give him a reply even but instead he heard a choking sound before his head snapped up just in time to see her place her drink on the table. Her face was now a bright scarlet and she hadn't stopped coughing which only added to his nerves, she was going to stop coughing, right?

She paused for a bit looking at him with watery eyes, "w-what did y-y-you say?"

He frowned, "I like you, Hinata-chan."

And before he could stop her she had turned an even brighter shade before trying to stammer out a reply and then falling over. Everyone around him panicked as soon as she hit the floor but he merely cursed at everyone who was wishing him bad luck as of now.

"What happened?" a waiter asked him, looking pale and worried, "should I call for an ambulance?"

Naruto sighed softly as he took the bill out of his hands and paid it, "no, I got it, she does this all the time, actually."

Everyone in the room seemed to freeze at his words as he picked her up from the ground and collecting her bag as well. They all looked at him as if he had suddenly sprouted two heads but he ignored them as he made his way out of the restaurant.

He assumed she came here walking instead of taking a car, so he simply placed her in his own car, making sure to buckle her up. Closing the door behind him he went and got in the driver's seat, he banged his head on the steering wheel a few times before slipping the key into the ignition.

So he hadn't gotten a proper response, only fainting, but he needed one, he had to know how she felt. Plus, he refused to allow Sasuke bragging rights since the man had basically called this scenario.

But she remained unconscious for the whole way. Once they arrived to the Hyuga estate he sighed and unbuckled himself, ready to take her up to her family and save himself the trouble of looking like a pervert for keeping her for too long while she was like that.

"N-Naruto-kun," he heard her groan, before her eyes fluttered open.

He chuckled, sitting back in his seat, "you're awake, I see."

"I j-just h-had the weirdest d-dream," she spoke softly, her eyes remaining on him.

"Is that so?" he smirked, "what was it about?"

"You said you l-liked me," she giggled, "funny, huh? B-Because that's i-impossible, you'd n-never like someone l-like me, I talk too much w-when I get nervous and then w-when I get e-e-extra n-nervous I st-stutter t-through my words, and I f-faint a lot, I m-mean isn't that a b-bi-"

He promptly shut her up with a kiss.

He pulled away to watch her face turn the same bright scarlet from before as her hand came flying to her lips.

"Yeah, I like you, what of it?"

She looked pale all of a sudden and before she could even faint he decided he'd kiss her once more.

"Only you, even if you're weird and talk to much when you get nervous," he chuckled, "and even when you faint when I'm trying to confess to you, silly girl."

* * *

END.


End file.
